Fixture for annular fluorescent lamps



' Oct. 20, 1953 L. J. SEGIL 2,656,453

FIXTURE FOR ANNULAR FLUORESCENT LAMPS Filed May 16, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l 17 19x 20 1921 Jean J 6 71! Oct. 20, 1953 sEG|L 7 2,656,453

FIXTURE FOR ANNULAR FLUORESCENT LAMPS Filed May 16, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 20, 1953 2,656,453 FIXTURE FOR ANNULAR FLUORESCENT LAMPS Leon J. Segil, Winnetka, Ill., assignor to L. J. Segil Co. (Inc.), Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application May 16, 1949, Serial No. 93,445 9 Claims. (01. 240-5112) This invention pertains to lighting fixtures and has as its principal object the provision of means for mounting circular or annular fluorescent lamps of cylindrical cross-section.

A further object is the provision of a mount-.

ing fixture of the class described which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple and convenient to manipulate and capable of mounting one or more annular or ring-shaped lamps.

A more particular object is the provision of 3 a lighting fixture of the class described characterized mainly by the provision on a mounting base of at least three depending brackets arranged about a center from the rim of the fixture and each bracket having an arcuate recess i into which inner peripheral portions of the circular lamp fit, the brackets being sprung outwardly so as to grip the lamp at equidistant spaced points about said inner periphery.

A further object is the provision of a bracket structure of the class characterized in which there are a plurality of arcuate recesses in each bracket arm for supporting a plurality of annular lamps in concentric relation one above arm portions thereof with a mounting hub forming part of the fixture.

Additional objects and aspects of utility peculiar to the improvement pertain to details of the construction and operation of the embodiments hereinafter described in detail in view of the annexed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a lamp fixture with an annular fluorescent tube thereon, and shown partly in section and partly in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the fixture and lamp of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view simto Fig. 1 showing a modification for locking the bracket arms;

4 is a side elevation of a modified form of fixture for mounting a plurality of annular lamps with the lamps shown partly in section and partly in elevation;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the fixture of Fig. 4.

In Fig. 1 there is shown an annular base fixture l0 adapted for ceiling mounting by means of a cap-nut H threadably engaging the usual nipple (not seen) which depends from the outlet box.

An annular fluorescent lamp of tubular crosssection and of the'type indicated at H2 in Fig. 2 is mounted on said base by means of spring bracket arms generally indicated at I3, said arms being in the form of elongated strips of semifiexible metal, such as springnbrass, and being secured to the base I0 by means of screws it between stabilizing offsets l5 and 15X, the latter also affording a flexure point, there being adjoining portions of the strip bent as at It to form a substantially semi-circular seat or recess fitting snugly over inner peripheral portions of the annular lamp, said strips having a continuing offset constituting a stabilizing arm I? turned back in a radial sense toward the center of the fixture so as to converge near the mounting nut II in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2.

Preferably, the radial stabilizing portions ll of each bracket are given a series of offsets [3 for decorative as well as rigidifying purposes, and-the innermost extremities [9 of said radial extensions are rounded off to provide a gliding surface engageable with a fieuron or hub member 28 of glass or like material, employed as a decorative, as Well as functional part, of the fixture of Figs. 1 and 2.

Said member 20 also affords a gliding surface ior'the portions IQ of the brackets, itbeing'observed in this connection that said ends it are terminated at a distancefrcm the nut I I in order to leave room for radial displacement of said portions 59 upon inward flexing of one or more of the bracket members in removing or installing a lamp.

In the modification of Fig. 3 the construction is substantially identical to that shown in Figs. l. and 2 with the difference that the oiiset ends 59X are seated beneath the member 28 and locked in position thereby when the nut M is turned home. In this construction accidental dislodgement of the lamp is obviated.

In the modification of Fig. 4 the basic construction of Fig. l is duplicated and there are provided a plurality, for example two, of the series, of semi-circular seating recesses ii; and 16K in each bracket arm, whereby a corresponding number of annular lamps l2 and IZX may be mounted concentrically, one above another.

Such a multiple lamp mounting particularly requires the rigidifying effect of the inturned radial arm portions l! since the leverage from the attaching point M of the bracket to the lowermost lamp seat ISX is multiplied by the longer depending portion, while at the same time retaining a maximum flexibility of the bracket arms, at the points ltX and i5! particularly, for the greatest ease in seating or unseating the lamps.

It will be understood, however, that the 1ocking feature of Fig. 3 is equally applicable to the construction of Fig. requiring only a proper ofisetting of the inner radial ends NY to accommodate the change in angle necessitated by addition of any number of lamps after the first or uppermost lamp.

Since the electrical connections for the annular lamps are well known in the art and do not form part of the invention, such connections are not disclosed.

I claim:

1. In a lamp fixture for mounting least one annular tube lamp, improvements comprising, to Wit: lamp mounting means including a base, at least three elongated spring fingers each attached at one end to a peripheral portion of said base in substantially equally spaced relation to each other about a central region of said base, and each said finger having an approximately vertically pendant portion with an adjoining and 7 approximately horizontally extensive opposite free end portion turned radially inwardly and convergently to said central region of the base, said vertical portions of the fingers each further having an outwardly concave lamp-seating curve 1 engageable with inner peripheral portions of an annular lamp.

2. The improvements set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said base is provided with a central hub having rounded surface portions, and said free ends of the fingers having curved gliding portions bearing against said rounded portions to stabilize said arms in lamp holding position and to glide on the hub in flexurc of said fingers in mounting and removing said lamps.

3. The improvements according to claim 2 in which said vertically extensive portions of the fingers each include a matched plurality of vertically adjacent seating curves to mount a plurality of said lamps one above another.

4. The improvement defined in claim 1 further characterized by the provision of a hub member removably mounted on said central region of the base and positioned against said free ends of the fingers to prevent downward displacement thereof, at least, in effect to lock said fingers against movement which would unseat said lamps.

5. In a lighting fixture for annular tubular lamps, lamp-mounting means comprising: the combination, with a base, of a plurality of pendant spring bracket arms mounted about a center on said base, the pendant portion of each said arm having a curving offset constituting an arcuate seating recess to fit snugly with the inner peripheral portions of said lamp, each said pendant bracket portion having an inwardlyturned radial stabilizing arm with a free end portion bearing against a central part of said base and adapted to glide on the latter responsive to flexures or the pendant bracket portions in seating and unseating a lamp.

6. Mounting means in accordance with claim 4 in which said bracket arms are formed of thin sprjngy metal and said radially turned portions are provided with a plurality of spaced, lateral rigidifying offsets between said free end portions and the corresponding seating recesses to limit the yieldability there responsive to flexure of the pendant portions as aforesaid.

7. Mounting means in accordance with claim t in which the inner central extremities of said radially turned bracket portions are ofiset to provide a gliding runner for movement on said central part of the base during flexure as aforesaid.

8. Mounting means in accordance with claim in which said pendant bracket portions are each provided with a plurality of vertically adsac/ant curved lamp seating offsets providing corresponding sets of seats for mounting a plurality of annular lamps concentrically one above another on said base.

9. Mounting means in accordance with claim i further characterized by the provision of a hub member rcmovably secured centrally 01" said base and clamping the inner radial free cndsof said inturncd bracket portions whereby to loci: said brackets against flexure and secure said lamp against dislodgement and preventing the glide specified in claim 4:.

LEON J. SEGIL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 47%,082 Dewey May 3, 1892 2,981,378 Cornivall May 14, 1935 2,309,676 Schmidling Feb. 2, 1943 2,435,715 Headings Feb. 10, 1948 2,477,131 Jones, Jr -2 July 26, 1949 

